This blog is posted from a now retired 33 year CAW (now UNIFOR) member. The purpose of this blog is to allow others to see the perspective of the average worker, rather than the views of the Union Leadership If you have any concerns or comments on this blog, contact me at Email:paulsblues45@hotmail.com
On Twitter: @PaulinAjax

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The McGuinty/Wynne Record On The Auto Sector, Don't think Hudak's The One We Need To Worry About!

So Kathleen Wynne, oops, soon to be ex-Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, thinks Tim Hudak's going to destroy the auto sector when he becomes Premier. HOW? That's the equivalent of covering a football field with landmines, telling an Ontario taxpayer to walk across it, and then saying it's their fault they got blown up. Has Wynne never heard of a search engine called Google? I've been in the auto sector my entire life. I was detailing cars and working part-time in a GM parts department at the age of 14. How could Hudak possibly do more damage than McGuinty and Wynne in the last decade.

I was going to do a list of all the auto assembly and parts plants that have closed since 2003. Due to the sheer volume of closures and layoffs that's physically impossible. Let's look at the current situation in Ontario. When elected leader and Premier by 1100 Liberals at their convention, Wynne promised to carry on Dalton McGuinty's legacy, and she sure has. GM has already announced Camaro production, now being done in Oshawa, is moving to Michigan. That's the U.S. state that undercuts us using far cheaper electricity rates, not by their own generation, but by getting ours for 2.5 cents per kwh, due to the McGuinty/Wynne Green Energy Act, the decimation of the manufacturing industry by McGuinty/Wynne, and the fact Ontario ratepayers lost $1 billion in 2013 alone getting rid of excess power on the grid. If hearing the name McGuinty and Camaro in the same sentence wrings a bell, it might be because it was one of those famous Liberal photo-ops, your tax dollar$ being spent to try and make them look good. This one cost you $235 million. Now keep in mind that this is 2006, two years before the GM and Chrysler bailout.

Pointing out the fact GM is slated to kill off more jobs from both the flex line and consolidated line with more production heading south in the next two years is a direct reflection of what the policies of McGuinty/ Wynne have done. It's not the union's fault, and it sure as hell isn't the fault of Ontario taxpayers. The most telling comment on the state of Ontario's auto sector can be traced back to mcGuinty himself, with this quote from the GM Oshawa announcement in 2006.

"General Motors of Canada's decision to manufacture its new Camaro in Oshawa is a resounding vote of confidence in the province and its workers, said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

"This decision is great news for families and businesses in Oshawa who depend on a strong and vibrant auto sector," said Premier McGuinty. "Oshawa's workers are among the most highly skilled and dedicated in the world and we're pleased that GM continues to demonstrate its confidence in our people and our province."

So if a decision to manufacture in the province is a resounding vote of confidence, what does it say about the Liberals when GM decides those jobs are going to Michigan? Pretty self explanatory, no? The bigger problem is the lost Camaro production isn't the exception, it's the norm under the Liberals.

"It shows Ontario's share of Canada's employees has been slipping the past decade to 38 per cent today, from 39.2 per cent in 2003. As of September, there were 5.8 million payroll workers in Ontario.

All of the relative decline can be explained by what has happened in the factory sector.

Statistics Canada puts the manufacturing job losses in Ontario at 255,000 over the past decade, dropping the number of factory employees from 908,900 in January 2003 to 654,200 in September 2012. (source)

So despite Wynne's fearmongering over Tim Hudak "destroying the auto sector", sorry Ms. Wynne, that ship has already sailed. Just recently, Magna's CEO, among others, stated their would be no more investment or jobs in Ontario due to the Liberals energy policy farce. I will say you were right about one thing though Ms. Wynne. You certainly have carried on Dalton McGuinty's legacy. The continuation of auto sector jobs leaving Ontario is the proof in the pudding.